Principal Engineer

ZipRecruiter; Minneapolis (MN); Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative data-driven company is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead the development of high-performance systems leveraging AI and AWS technologies. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with executive leadership, driving technical innovation and mentoring a growing team. Join a collaborative, fast-paced environment where your contributions will directly influence product development and technical direction. Enjoy the flexibility of a fully remote work culture while being part of a small, dynamic startup focused on accelerated growth and cutting-edge AI technologies.

Benefits

Equity opportunities

Flexible work-life balance

Hands-on R&D opportunities

Casual and collaborative culture

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software engineering experience focused on large-scale systems.
• Strong hands-on leadership style with a passion for mentoring.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop high-performance, scalable systems handling large datasets.
• Mentor and guide a growing team of engineers.

Skills

Node.js

AWS services

Elasticsearch

AI-driven architectures

Data engineering

Large-scale data systems

Cross-functional communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Kinesis

Lambda

DynamoDB

Job description

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionABOUT US
VisitIQ is a data-driven company working with massive datasets, leveraging AI to unlock insights at scale. Our stack is built with Node.js and leverages the full suite of AWS services—including Kinesis, Lambda, DynamoDB as well as Elasticsearch. We’re seeking a hands-on Principal Engineer to help us scale faster, innovate smarter, and drive technical excellence across the organization.

THE ROLE
As Principal Engineer, you’ll be a core member of the engineering team, deeply embedded in both code and strategy. You'll architect complex systems, drive innovation, and mentor engineers—all while pushing for speed and performance. Working directly with our CTO, CEO, and product teams, you'll influence every major technical decision and ensure our systems are robust, scalable, and future proof.

WHY JOIN VISITIQ?

• Hands-on R&D opportunities, working with cutting-edge AI technologies.
• Casual, collaborative, and innovation-driven culture.
• Direct influence over product development and technical direction.
• Be part of a small, fast-growing startup with accelerated growth.
• Fully remote work environment, offering flexibility and work-life balance.
• Equity opportunities, sharing in the company’s success.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Architect and develop high-performance, scalable systems handling large datasets.
• Leverage AI to enhance data processing and team velocity.
• Lead by example with hands-on coding in Node.js and deep integration with AWS services.
• Drive technical innovation, fostering a culture of creativity and rapid iteration.
• Collaborate closely with executive leadership and product teams to align technology with business goals.
• Mentor and guide a growing team of engineers, currently starting with 4 direct mentees.
• Establish and enforce engineering best practices, coding standards, and system architecture guidelines.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Deep expertise in data engineering, large-scale data systems, and AI-driven architectures.
• Strong proficiency in Node.js, Elasticsearch, and AWS services (Kinesis, Lambda, DynamoDB).
• Proven experience architecting complex, scalable systems.
• Hands-on leadership style with a passion for both building and mentoring.
• Ability to move fast and encourage high-velocity development without sacrificing quality.
• Strong cross-functional communication skills—able to work directly with executive leadership and product teams.
• A passion for innovation, coupled with a commitment to high engineering standards.
• 10+ years of software engineering experience, with a focus on large-scale systems.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Node.js, Elasticsearch, and AWS services.
• Understanding of AI/ML concepts.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across technical and non-technical teams.
• Familiarity with best practices in software development, system security, and scalability